Thoughts for the Day

Jesus said, 'You have heard it said, "You shall not commit adultery." But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell."

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

As a small child I remember my father would drive along the road, and if he saw a pretty woman, he would open the car window and give a wolf-whistle. If this sounds horrendous to modern sensibilities, I can also remember feeling disappointed if I walked past a building site and didn't get a wolf-whistle. Well things have changed thankfully, though we did go through a time when page three adverts of naked women in newspapers were all the rage, and equally attractive men took off their jeans to wash them in the launderette. This may have seemed something quite innocent at the time, and Jesus is referring to those who think about committing adultery, but nevertheless it demeaned women or men and was seen as being on the slippery slope to much worse..

The point is that Jesus says that what goes on in our head is just as sinful as it is to carry out an action. Thinking something is as bad as doing it, whether that is coveting something, or wanting to hit someone! This sin is a hidden sin, and all of us can find our thoughts troublesome to control. Only when we turn to God, try to live the life He wants us live, and ask for His help will things get better.

Heavenly Father,
You Son has taught us
that thinking is no better than doing.
Forgive us for the sins we commit
in our thoughts,
and help us to set our minds on You
and on Your wishes for our life.
Amen.